12 movies that make you want to pack your bags

What’s not to love about movies? They inspire wanderlust and introduce us to the beauty of places from a chair.

These dreamy locations will make you want to quit your job, live out of a suitcase and chase after breathtaking hilltops, gorgeous beaches and dreamy horizons. Here are 12 wonderful flicks showcasing some of the best places around the world.

Disclaimer: The epic plots and alluring visuals will result in you digging up your passport.

1. Mamma Mia

A mother, a daughter, a wedding and three possible fathers with some classic hits thrown in. How can you not enjoy this? The location is in the Greek Islands of Kalokairi and the main film was captured in Skopelos. The turquoise water and superb sunrises seen from the Kastani Beach are enough to make anyone want to get married, have their vows renewed or simply shoot off on a vacation. The musical was filmed with popular hits from the 70’s music group, ABBA.

2. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Two young American women visit Barcelona for the summer. The movie is a visual splendour, capturing some of Barcelona’s loved architecture by Antoni Gaudi.  The beautiful unfinished Church of La Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, Parc de Montjuïc and the strange rooftop chimney’s at Casa Milà all appear in the movie. Watch the trailer here.

3. The Bucket List

Two men decide to embark on a journey of a lifetime when they get news of terminal illnesses. The film is shot in breathtaking locations that had me looking for my passport. I would personally love to go on an adventure like these guys. The scenes include visuals of California in the United States, the ancient and historical landmarks of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the characters even ride motorcycles along the Great Wall of China. It doesn’t end there. They also pay a visit to the Taj Mahal in India, Mount Everest in Nepal and go on a Wildlife safari in Tanzania. Jealous yet? I still am.

4. The Fault In Our Stars

This romantic drama is based on the John Green‘s novel with the same title. I must admit, I wept a bit and then promptly developed intense FOMO (fear of missing out). The movie was filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and then in one of my favourite destinations in the world, Amsterdam in the Netherlands. All the scenes from Amsterdam capture the beauty of this destination so well, from the canals to the coat houses, the architecture and even the bicycles. Check out the trailer here.

5. Lost In Translation

Lost in Translation is a story of love and friendship blooming under unlikely circumstances set in Tokyo, Japan. The thought of going from city to city in a bullet train in Japan brings a sense of excitement. The locations in Tokyo are Shinjuku, the business and entertainment centre of Tokyo, as well as Shibuya, the young and trendy ‘New York’ of the city. Have a look at the trailer here.

6. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I’m not afraid to admit, from time to time I become like Ben Stiller in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I daydream of adventures all the time. I’m daydreaming of one right now. The film is shot in several beautiful locations around the world. Expect visuals from Manhattan, New York, Nuuk, Greenland, Eyjafjallajökull Iceland and the Himalayas.

7. Eat, Pray, Love

If you haven’t read the book or watched the movie yet, what are you waiting for? We all feel a bit out of place in life and want to ‘find ourselves’. This movie is the perfect escape captured in New York, Rome and Naples in Italy, Dehli and Pataudi, India. It doesn’t end there, the character also takes us into Ubud and Padang Padang Beach in Bali.

8. In Bruges

This comedy crime film is set on the 12th-century canals and cobblestone streets of Bruges in Belgium – a well-preserved Medieval town. The characters portray two Irish hit men hiding in the Bruges city centre, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The scenes of the movie were taken in the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel, a classy boutique hotel with stained glass windows. Another famous location was the Belfry Grote Markt, that was built in 1240 and later rebuilt 40 years later. Here is the trailer.

9. The Holiday

Two women exchange houses around a Christmas holiday in search of a new lease on life. The Holiday is filmed in Los Angeles and in Shere, England. Shere is an idyllic village with a population of under 4000 people based in the south west of London. The village has a scenic stream that flows through the village called the Tillingbourne. Have a look at the trailer here.

10. Midnight in Paris

Possibly the ultimate tour of Paris, this is also a move centred around nostalgia. The film covers an array of locations in and around Paris, that will make you want to eat French Crapes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some locations captured in the film are the Pont Alexandre III, which is the golden bridge over the Seine River and Monet’s Garden, an hour outside of Paris. The Chateau de Versailles is an extravagant sight and the Quai de la Tournelle is a cobblestoned road on the Seine’s river bank. The Eiffel Tower is another obvious treat to feast your eyes on.

11. Nowhere in Africa

Nowhere in Africa is about a German family in refuge during a war and must move, adjusting to the ways of living in Kenya. The film has won over 14 International awards. The locations of the movie are Baringo County and Mount Kenya, which is the second highest mountain in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro. View the trailer here.

12. The Grand Budapest Hotel

This interesting movie is a comedy about a legendary concierge at a European hotel. The movie involves the theft of a Renaissance painting and is set in the imaginary Republic of Zubrowka. However, the pretend scenes are shot in Görlitz, Germany, an old charming town. This is also the location where Inglorious Bastards was filmed.

What movies have you watched that have given you the travel bug? Feel free to share about it in the comment box below.